An Important Safety Message From Chilli

Summary

Sandi Parsons shares a personal story about her timid dog Chilli, emphasizing the importance of safety, particularly when swimming, through the use of swimming between flags and the presence of a lifeguard.

Abstract

Sandi Parsons, an experienced school librarian, recounts the tale of her skittish dog Chilli, who is easily frightened by everyday noises and experiences. Despite Chilli's fear of loud noises and other puppies, she enjoys water and finds comfort paddling in a controlled environment. To ensure Chilli's safety during her aquatic activities, Sandi sets up a miniature pool with flags for Chilli to swim between, reminiscent of designated safe swimming areas on beaches. Sandi humorously takes on the role of a lifeguard to monitor Chilli's safety, highlighting the significance of water safety in a playful yet educational manner.

Opinions

Chilli, the family dog, is portrayed as exceptionally fearful, with a particular aversion to loud noises and the vacuum cleaner.
The author values safety, as evidenced by the creation of a safe swimming environment for Chilli, complete with flags to indicate safe swimming zones.
Sandi Parsons uses her personal experience with Chilli to convey a broader message about the importance of water safety.
The author takes a light-hearted approach to the subject, referring to herself as a lifeguard and Chilli's swimming area as "deep water," which adds a touch of humor to the safety message.
The article suggests that even domestic pets can benefit from safety measures that are often associated with human activities, such as swimming between flags at the beach.

Safety First. Swim between the flags.

From the day my husband and I brought Chilli home, she’s been a scaredy-cat. Loud noises were problematic, and the vacuum was worse than a monster under the bed.

Even the other puppies at Puppy School scared Chilli, so she ran to a hidden nook for safety. We took her down to the river for a paddle, which she loved, but then a boat raced past and created not a wave but a ripple. The ripple was too much to cope with.

So home we came, with a clamshell pool in tow.

There’s nothing better than a good paddle on a hot day. But if you’re going to be safe, you’ve got to do things right. Chilli has her own flags to swim between, and I do double duty as a lifeguard if she gets in “deep water.”

Thanks for reading, Sandi xx

Sandi Parsons is an award-winning school librarian with over 20 years experience working in educational libraries. She lives with her favorite husband and two problem puppies. She dabbles in the art of photography.

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An Important Safety Message From Chilli

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